KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — After more than ten weeks bedridden in a Bangkok hospital with a fractured spine, Malaysian undergraduate Hong Mun Ying is back home and on the path to recovery.
The 23-year-old was aboard Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight SQ321, which encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Basin on May 21.
The incident caused the plane to plunge 178 feet in just 4.6 seconds, leading to one fatality and dozens of injuries, including Hong’s.
The flight, en route from London to Singapore, was diverted to Bangkok after the turbulence.
Passengers described scenes of chaos, with people screaming and luggage falling as the plane shook violently.
Hong, who fractured her fifth and sixth thoracic vertebrae, struck her head on the overhead luggage compartment and required stitches on her scalp.
“I escaped more serious injuries and even paralysis,” she told The Straits Times from her home in Subang, Selangor.
“Initially, I was completely distraught, but over time, I began to feel very lucky to have survived.”
The turbulence hit moments after Hong had briefly unbuckled her seatbelt to let a neighbouring passenger access the aisle.
“The aroma of breakfast omelettes was the last thing I remember,” she was quoted saying.
The sudden plunge threw her into the luggage compartment before she fell into the aisle, where she remained in pain for the rest of the flight.
A fellow passenger, identified only as “Chris,” stayed by her side, covering her with blankets and stabilising her position.
Chris also contacted Hong’s sister to inform her of the situation.
According to the news report SIA has covered Hong’s medical bills, including her surgery and follow-up treatments in Malaysia, and assisted her family with related expenses.
The airline said it remains committed to supporting passengers affected by the turbulence.
Hong spent weeks in recovery at Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, where doctors bolted titanium plates to stabilise her spine.
After taking nearly a month to sit up and another to stand, she can now walk unaided, though she still needs help with daily tasks and cannot lift heavy objects.
Despite enduring panic attacks triggered by loud noises and sudden movements, Hong is determined to move forward.
She hopes to resume her university studies by September 2025, saying, “I really wanted to live.”
